“What's the question?”
Maybe if you hadn’t interrupted ...
“Well, get to the question.”
All right, fine.
Coach Kelly, when will you be publicly apologizing to the journalist you patronized Saturday after the game?
“Next question.”
No, not next question.
I am disgusted by the way you addressed Laken Litman after her valid question concerning the similarities between Saturday’s loss and those from last year. But calling the way you spoke to her an “address” is too kind. You tolerated. No, you outwardly and mockingly pretended to tolerate.
And no, that’s not “good enough” for me.
You represent Notre Dame, and Saturday night you were not espousing the values that our University preaches. You treated Litman as undeserving of your attention, unworthy of your time. You played off her question as if it was an incompetent one. But you were the one who ended up looking incompetent.
You took out your frustration after the loss on a journalist. At least, I hope that’s what happened. I pray that’s not how you typically speak to people.
Coach, sometimes I struggle with taking out my negative emotions on those I love. When I’m stressed, I get a little snappy, a little short. But when the stress subsides, I realize my blunder and apologize, or make sure I am especially kind the following day. Then, in the future, I remember my mistake and attempt to not let my poor mood infringe on the dispositions of those around me.
I hope that in the future, you will not let your emotions impede your ability to behave the way a leader should behave. Unfortunately, you made your mistake quite publicly, and it deserves a public response.
Journalists are being attacked in this country enough as it is. I hope you not only apologize to Litman, but also learn to harness your emotions in the future, and behave the way a leading figure in the Notre Dame community needs to behave.
“Okay, great. Thanks.”
